Colors that affect your brand

There is a litany of literature devoted to the psychology behind color and its effect on consumer behavior. There is also an ongoing debate whether or not color psychology and its effect on product branding is mere hogwash or based on solid evidence. Some marketing strategists argue that color is too dependent on personal experiences to be universally translated to specific feelings, and as such, should not necessarily have an impact on your brand. However, the debate continues and what does seem clear is that a brand’s color can have a huge impact on a consumer’s ability to remember your product and how they might relate to your product.

Evidenced-based or not, when it comes to choosing colors for your new business it could be beneficial to have a look at what the color experts have to say. Rebranding your logo should also be carefully approached and doing some market research could prove vital to achieve optimum brand recognition.

There are many different reasons companies choose to use specific colors for their brand. Here’s some interesting bits that we’ve uncovered in the internet archives that might inspire your color choice:

Red is for energy, power and action

Coca-Cola is considered as the world’s most recognisable brand and has inspired many other to choose red for their logos. Many branding psychologists agree that people associate the colour red with action. It also has a feeling of urgency to it, which is why it also works for CNN and Time magazine. Red is a bold hue that can be seen as a sign of authority. Prominent brands that use red span a wide range of industries. Think Lego, Kellogg’s, Netflix and Pinterest. According to research, red is a top color choice for the food industry (as KFC, Burger Kind and KitKat proves), as it is said to increase one’s appetite.

Yellow and orange is for the bright side of life

Yellow and orange are both associated with optimism, happiness and a sense of playfulness. These colors are used by brands to attract attention and get customers to take notice. It is good to note that yellow is the color that is easily distinguished by the human eye. The likes of Post-It, Lion Matches and McDonald’s all use it in their logos. Stand-out orange logos include Nickelodeon, Amazon, Fanta and Mozilla Firefox.

Green is for growth and renewal

Green is used by many to convey the image of an environmentally-friendly and ethically sound business, whether these are indeed features of said company with that green logo. It certainly has the desired effect with the likes of Whole Foods, Animal Planet, John Deere and even Starbucks.

Blue is for creativity and calm

Mark Zuckerberg, who is red-green color blind, told The New Yorker, “I can see all of blue,” when asked why he chose blue for Facebook’s logo. Blue is a tried and tested color, loved by both men and women across the globe. The cool undertones emanate calmness, peace and stability. It is definitely a favourite among the social media crowd, including Twitter, LinkedIn and Skype. Blue is also the color associated with trustworthiness and security, which is perhaps why American Express, Oral B and Dell have all chosen it for their logos.

Purple is for luxury and wealth

Purple is traditionally the color associated with nobility and wealth. Apparently, Cadbury’s opted for a purple logo because it was said to be Queen Victoria’s favorite color. Additionally, purple is also associated with fantasy, magic and mystery and said to be the color that appeals the most to children. This might be why Barney the dinosaur attracted so many followers). International companies that have opted for different hues of purple include Yahoo, Hallmark and FedEx.

There you have it. From vibrant purple to subtle blue, joy-invoking yellow to confident red, what color do you want your customers to remember you by?